PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Mikel Stalon (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Shooter McGavin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mikel Stalon had real problems making weight for this fight. After initially coming in at 136.0lbs, he had two hours to make the official fight weight. He made it but it will have taken a lot out of him to cut those extra few pounds. Shooter McGavin has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Mikel Stalon's chin.

Stalon
vs
McGavin

172 cm
19
142 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

180 cm
18
141 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Mikel Stalon!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Shooter McGavin!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Cesar, Emerson Jorge and Felipe Paraventi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Stalon tries to clinch there but McGavin circles away.
The fight stays on the outside here - Stalon looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Stalon scores a takedown into full mount!
Stalon can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as McGavin is looking to escape.
McGavin is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
McGavin holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Stalon tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Stalon dominating with strikes here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
McGavin really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
McGavin sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McGavin is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Stalon wants to pass the guard but McGavin is defending well.
McGavin tries to get to full guard but Stalon has control of the leg.
McGavin wants to control but Stalon is keeping busy and won't allow it.
McGavin is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
McGavin wants to control but Stalon is keeping busy and won't allow it.
McGavin wants to improve his position but Stalon is controlling well.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Stalon lands a high kick!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Stalon lands a head kick!
McGavin keeps the fight on the outside.
Mikel Stalon seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Stalon tries to clinch up but McGavin circles away and keeps his distance.

McGavin tries to keep at a distance but Stalon has taken the fight into the clinch.

Stalon has clasped his hands together around McGavin's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
McGavin defending against the ground and pound.
Stalon is breathing heavily.
McGavin struggling a bit here.
McGavin is looking to reverse the position.

Stalon stands up and beckons McGavin to his feet.

Stalon closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

McGavin gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Stalon keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Well, if McGavin is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Stalon tries to get to full guard but McGavin has control of the leg.
McGavin is thwarting Stalon's attempts to control the position.
McGavin with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
McGavin looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Stalon is trying to get back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stalon taking some punishment here, with McGavin in his half guard.
Stalon moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

Stalon working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. McGavin doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. McGavin manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Stalon trying to control the position.

Stalon pushes McGavin off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Stalon moves in looking to clinch but McGavin pushes him off.

Stalon closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
McGavin wants to control but Stalon passes into side.
Stalon cracks McGavin with a big right hand but McGavin just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mikel Stalon dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

McGavin has closed the distance and engaged Stalon in a clinch.

McGavin successfully pulls guard.
Stalon has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of McGavin is proving hard to escape from.
Stalon landing some decent shots from guard.
McGavin is trying to control the position but Stalon postures up.
McGavin wants to sweep here but Stalon controlling him for the moment.
McGavin working a defensive guard but Stalon passes into half guard.
McGavin makes his way to full guard. A much better position for McGavin.
McGavin trying to keep a closed guard but Stalon is proving a slippery customer.

McGavin has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Stalon can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Stalon wants to control from the top but McGavin keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stalon prevents McGavin from getting back to his feet.

McGavin had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Stalon is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. McGavin Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Stalon's back instead.

Stalon is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if McGavin gets his way!
Stalon is trying to break free.
McGavin is looking to control Stalon but Stalon is wriggling around and keeping busy.
Stalon can't escape the position.
Stalon holding both McGavin 's hands and preventing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
McGavin trying to control momentarily.
Stalon turns into McGavin and is now in his guard.
McGavin is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Stalon is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Stalon has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Stalon throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as McGavin works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Stalon slips nicely into half guard.

Stalon decides to return to a standing position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McGavin shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Stalon counters with a nice double leg into side control. McGavin won't be happy with that.
Stalon wants to control but McGavin is keeping him busy.
McGavin is trying to control Stalon's posture but Stalon avoids it.
McGavin sneaks back into half guard.
McGavin has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Stalon is working away from the top position though.
McGavin is pressing down on Stalon's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
McGavin is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
McGavin trying to pass the guard but Stalon defending well.
McGavin seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

McGavin is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
McGavin seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Stalon does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
McGavin lands strikes from half guard.

McGavin postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Stalon to stand up.

McGavin closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
McGavin landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Stalon is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
McGavin gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Stalon.

Stalon gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Stalon passes McGavin's left leg - he's now in half guard.
McGavin is staying active underneath Stalon, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
McGavin is looking to improve his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mikel Stalon dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Stalon closes the distance looking to clinch

and McGavin counters with a takedown into side control.
McGavin wants to lay and pray for a moment but Stalon keeps working.
McGavin looks up at the clock and then as Stalon takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, McGavin smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Stalon is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Stalon is letting McGavin control him for a moment.
McGavin landing a few strikes.
Stalon gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Stalon trying to control from the bottom.
McGavin trying to mount his opponent but Stalon defends it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stalon trying to control here.
Well, if McGavin is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
McGavin is stalling here. Stalon is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! McGavin seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Stalon has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.

Stalon decides to stand back up. Stalon steps back and let's McGavin get back to his feet.

Stalon shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in McGavin's guard.
McGavin has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Stalon throws and elbow that misses. McGavin uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Stalon's guard. Nice move by McGavin!
McGavin trying to control but Stalon is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stalon looking to hit a scissor sweep but McGavin is one step ahead there.
McGavin content to stall in guard here.
Stalon trying to keep a closed guard but McGavin is proving a slippery customer.
Stalon is looking to stand back up but McGavin counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Stalon.
Stalon is trying to improve his position.

McGavin tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no McGavin has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stalon is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
McGavin is controlling the pace.
Stalon wants to control but McGavin is keeping busy.
McGavin scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Still in half guard, McGavin seems content to control.

McGavin wants to work for an arm triangle but Stalon is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
McGavin is figuring out what he wants to do next.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
McGavin winds up and cracks Stalon with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Stalon is trying to stand up here but McGavin is controlling him well.
Stalon tries to roll over but McGavin keeps him under control.

Stalon actively working from the bottom here.
McGavin passes to side control.
Stalon regains half guard.
Shooter McGavin has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Stalon trying to control here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Shooter McGavin comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Stalon has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 29:28
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 29:28
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mikel Stalon!